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Steel or wet stone

Jester_50722

Dear ChefSteps & Community members

Thanks for all the great content, I really enjoy your highly informative and beatufully shot videos. Keep up the good work and I'll keep buying the classes.

I have a question for you about knives. I've been happily using Henkle knives for many years (with a cheap 'diamond fingers' pull-through sharpener) until a few weeks ago when I was gifted a wonderful set of 3 Shun folded Damascus steel knives. I thought my Henkles were good but these things are incredible and a joy to use. As a home cook I use my chefs knife the most, around 4-5 days a week. Wanting to maintain the sharpness of the Shun's, I have just purchased a set of the wet stones you use/recommend in your sharpening videos. My question is, should I also buy a steel to use? If so why kind should I get and how often would I expect to use it?

I notice your sharpening class doesn't talk about using steels (perhaps on purpose as steels are for honing, not sharpening?) but I am a little confused as to what part a steel woud play in the sharpening regime? It seems that using a steel before every use helps maintain an edge, but if I use one of the finer grit stones every 3 or 4 weeks without using a honing steel would I get the best out of my knives and stones?

Thanks very much in advance for any help and explanation you can provide.

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Comments

tshewman

Hi Jester, Google chefsteps honing and the video on how to use it. Sorry link on phone wouldn't copy.

HammeredChef_DEFINITELY_does_NOT_work_at_22134

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXu4hZN8pJE

thanks Todd, I wasn't aware of this video

Jester_50722

Rob, Todd, thanks both for directing too/posting the honing video. I've seen this as part of the Knife Sharpening class. What seems to be missing though is a bit of guidance/clarity on if daily use of a steel is required to keep knives performing at their best, or if say a weekly use of a fine stone (e.g. 4000 grit) would be just as good or a better alternative?

I'm also a bit confused by the Knife Sharpening Class providing two product links to the ChefSteps Knife Collection page. One link is for the 'Sharpening Stones Kit' which appear in the collection, but the other is for a 'Long Honing Rod' that does not appear. This just adds to the muddle as it looks like a honing steel might be useful, and ChefSteps go as far as showing how to use one, but then no further information is given as to how honing fits into a knife's life cycle.

Hopefully someone, of ChefSteps themselves, can clear this up?

HammeredChef_DEFINITELY_does_NOT_work_at_22134

Jester, like Todd I take a couple of swipes every time I get ready to use my knife. Another important item as far as the honing goes is that it helps in keeping the edge clean. Im sure you noticed that when cutting fatty items (bacon, pork belly etc) that your knife gets "dull". this is the just the "jagged" part of the edge filling up with fat, washing helps but, a couple of swipes on the hone cleans it all out.

tshewman

Hi Jester, from a while ago "Ceramic Honing Rod - Fine - 12 in by Idahone. Ceramic honing rods keep your knife in excellent condition between sharpening. A high-quality ceramic rod removes minimal material, maintaining a razor sharp edge without reshaping or scratching the blade.". They also mentioned in the course (on a regular basis) which for me, means before I start cutting anything. The chefsteps honing rod (and cleaner) can be found here. http://www.epicedge.com/shopexd.asp?id=92034

Jester_50722

Rob, Todd, thank you both very much for your advice and for the link to the ceramic steel. I shall be getting one and using with confidence now. Much appreciate your time to help solve this problem for me.

ereeder

Jester, the Idahone that Todd referenced is great! You don't want a traditional textured steel for the reasons he mentioned. I'd also suggest you look at Chad Ward's excellent book "An Edge in the Kitchen: ..."